Thousands of NC citizens pack Raleigh for 2017 Moral March

RALEIGH – Tens of thousands of North Carolina citizens packed downtown Raleigh on Saturday as part of the 11th annual HKonJ Moral March, organized by the NAACP of North Carolina.

Among the throngs of people marching through the streets of the capital were student Democracy Fellows with Common Cause North Carolina, hailing from historically black universities in the Triad.

"There are so many people out here marching for a lot of different things and a lot of different causes, and I think it's powerful and awesome to be a part of," said Nailah McElvane, a student at Winston-Salem State University.

Kayla Fointno, a student at NC A&T State University in Greensboro, said she felt it was important for her to be among the marchers standing up for voting and civil rights. "There are things going on in this country right now that are unacceptable," Fointno said. "And that's why I'm here, to fight for those who feel that they may not have a voice. I'm here to be their voice."

This was the second year participating in the Moral March for Aleccia Sutton, a student at NC A&T State University, who said, "As citizens, if we don't stand up for our rights and stand up for those things that affect us, then we can't make a change."

Alex Johnson, also a student at NC A&T State University, said it was vital for young people to participate in the Moral March, along with engaging in the broader political process.

"This is our country, too. We are the next face of the country. If we don't stand up and learn now how to voice our opinions, then we're going to be acted upon rather than be the action," Johnson said. "We've got to get involved, we have to know what's going on in our country, we've got to be active citizens."